


and we'll be glowing in the dark

by destroyerofhearts



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas, Christmas Lights, Enemies to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 02:11:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13066953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/destroyerofhearts/pseuds/destroyerofhearts
Summary: Every Christmas throughout his childhood until he moved out of home, his father had always set up his Christmas themed model train and town set. A wave of nostalgia rushed through Arthur as he admired the little building that held many fond memories of Christmas with his family growing up. Rifling through the box next to the first one he’d open, he revealed the train and its tracks, buried underneath several Christmas lights. And it was in that moment that inspiration struck.In which Merlin is the grinch, Arthur is a real Christmas enthusiast, and Christmas light competitions are most definitely a thing.





	and we'll be glowing in the dark

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! So like I know I have a lot of WIPs and other things I'm supposed to be writing...but Christmas fics are like so much more important, right? 
> 
> Anyway, I thought this would be a fun idea - my city does legit do a christmas light comp which is why i decided to come up with this! also flipping the trope around so Merlin is the grump and Arthur loves christmas - just seemed to work.
> 
> will be trying my absolute best to get this done before christmas, my friends, so stay tuned.

 

~ARTHUR~

 

_ A few years earlier _

 

The cab pulled up in front of the property.

“Here you are, sir.”

“Thank you,” Arthur said, handing over some money and waving away the change. He stepped out onto the footpath, surveying the hedges that hid the house from plain sight. 

The lawyer was waiting for him on the driveway, and when Arthur approached he gave a small smile. 

“We do need to do a final check but once it’s done we’ll get the papers signed and the place will be yours,” he explained, while Arthur marveled at the property. The yard was enormous, the house being buried towards the back of the property. To the right of the driveway was a walkway that followed beautiful gardens. In front of the house was a pond that even had a bridge to walk over. The driveway itself led to the garage and beside it was a large shed made of corrugated iron. 

“It states in the will,” the lawyer began as they walked toward the house, “that this property, house and all of Uther’s contents that have remained here have been left to you. Your half sister has received his large apartment in the city. Both properties have significant value and it was agreed that it was a fairly equal divide.”

The house itself was quite modest in comparison to the land, being one level and made for an average sized family. For Arthur himself to live in, it was still rather big, but far better than if he’d been bequeathed the small mansion that he grew up in as a child. Thankfully, his father had sold the place once his two children had moved out, settling on an apartment in the city for work, and a house as he went into retirement.

They unlocked the house and once they were inside, the paperwork was placed on the kitchen bench, along with a pen.

“You just need to sign a few things and then the house is all yours.”

“Thank you,” Arthur smiled, taking the offered pen and signing where the other man directed him to do so. In no time, the papers were being gathered up, the lawyer left, and the house was now Arthur’s. 

Taking a deep breath, he walked through, taking a good look at the place. Seeing as he hadn’t lived here, he only ever came to the place for the odd visit or special occasion. Even then, Uther had preferred to leave his house and come to Arthur or host at his apartment which was much flashier. Arthur rather thought though, that the house was nicer and he was glad to have it. 

~~~

Heading back out, he decided to investigate the garage and shed. Finally, he would have a proper garage so he could invest in a car of his own rather than having to use a work vehicle, and the shed provided somewhere to store his equipment for work. While the garage was in top condition, the shed looked like it had seen better days. He had to use force to get the door to open, and the inside was dirty and musty with cobwebs covering piles and piles of boxes, some of which sat on a table in the middle of the room. He made a mental note to sort out the old, flickering light as he waded through the boxes to see what he could find. A lot of it looked like old files from Uther’s career as a business mogul. But others seemed a little strange - not used for files, but other items. Brushing the dust off the top of one of these boxes, he opened it to reveal a familiar looking model building. And when he managed to pull it out of its box, he gasped. 

Every Christmas throughout his childhood until he moved out of home, his father had always set up his Christmas themed model train and town set. The table that was covered in boxes and layers of dust was the very same that his father would set up in the house’s drawing room. The train would run in circles, up a hill and through a tunnel on a loop, surrounded by small, traditional looking housing that suited the Christmas theme. In the middle of the train track loop was a small carnival, with a ferris wheel, merry-go-round and an ice skating rink, all of which had moving figurines. And at the top of the hill was where Uther would place a Germanic inspired castle, which Arthur had dubbed as Camelot as soon as he knew of the legends. 

A wave of nostalgia rushed through Arthur as he admired the little building that held many fond memories of Christmas with his family growing up. And though he planned to move out all of Uther’s files and any other unnecessary belongings, there was no part of him that could bring himself to give away any of these belongings. It was an awful shame, though, that they should be kept in boxes, and after having seen the house Arthur didn’t think there was a room big enough to house the whole collection.

Rifling through the box next to the first one he’d open, he revealed the train and its tracks, buried underneath several Christmas lights. And it was in that moment that inspiration struck.

~~~  
  


~MERLIN~

 

_ Present day - 1st of December _

 

“Thanks for the shout,” Merlin said as he swallowed a mouthful of food. “Very kind of you both.”

Gwen simply smiled at him. “Well, of course, Merlin. Friends ought to look out for each other, after all.”

Merlin put down his fork and narrowed his eyes at his two friends, who now looked at him with earnest, hopeful expressions. “Is this a set up?”

Lance coughed. “We wouldn’t dare, would we, sweetheart?”

Gwen shook her head, trying to wipe the sheepish look off her face. “Absolutely not. But we did want to talk to you about what your plans are for the holiday. Even if you don’t come to dinner, we’d still like to spend time with you. Just please don’t be alone.”

Merlin glared. “I’ll be fine, I promise. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself, and I’d rather stay away from the festivities, including Christmas dinner. Okay?”

“Not even if you could numb out the festive pain with lots and lots of alcohol?” Lance tried to tempt him. Gwen smacked him on the arm.

“Nope, no alcohol for me. Been there, done that. I’m going to be fine,” Merlin said, hoping that the more he’d say it the more he’d be able to believe it. 

“Merlin, please,” Gwen said softly, placing a hand on his arm. “We’re just trying to look out for you, seeing as it’s your first Christmas, well...alone.”

Merlin rolled his eyes, and pushed Gwen’s hand away. “Since my mum died. I know. I’m not gonna break if you just say it as it is.” 

As Gwen recoiled, Merlin stood up. “It’s been lovely, but I think I better head off. It’s getting late.”

“It’s barely past seven!” Lance pointed out.

“Yes, well, I have an early morning,” Merlin said.

“And I thought you were trying to save money by carpooling instead of taking a cab,” he tried again before Merlin got too far from them. 

Merlin sighed, and turned back around, knowing his friend was right. “Fuck you,” he grumbled as he sat back down at the table. 

~~~

Half an hour later, however, and Merlin was really regretting his decision to not take a cab home. “This is a set up! I thought you were my friends!” Merlin exclaimed as he looked out the window of the car.

“We are,” Gwen smirked as Lance parked. “Come on, out you get. Just this once, and don’t you dare complain or you won’t get any of my gingerbread house this year.”

Merlin gasped. “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, I would. Come on!”

With sigh, Merlin clambered out of the car and traipsed behind his friends to the large property that was smothered in Christmas lights. 

The front hedges were covered in fairy lights, and the taller trees behind them had animated lighting that ran up the trunks and petered out to look like fireworks. Beyond the footpath of the property were thousands upon thousands of lights - covering the house, its garage and shed, the lawn and all throughout the beautiful gardens. There were stars and santas, reindeers and scenes of the nativity, all lit up and placed so carefully to achieve the desired effect. Christmas music echoed through the front yard, and a machine attached to the garage was blowing bubbles that entertained many young children. Despite it being only the first day of December, the house had gathered a decent crowd that were ogling at the most amazing Christmas lighting display. 

“This is the winner of the Albion Christmas Light competition for what is now two years in a row,” Gwen informed him as Merlin took in the sight around him. “The owner is also a friend of Lance’s. He might be around somewhere tonight…”

Gwen continued to prattle on as they walked through the display, only to arrive at a large set up of what appeared to be a town. A toy train ran around the whole set of little houses, a carnival scene and a castle at the very top of a hill. Merlin couldn’t help but frown. 

“Oh, I adore this model set! So? What do you think?” Gwen asked, eager for his approval.

“Gwen, this really isn’t my thing…” Merlin tried, in an attempt to soften the blow.

“Merlin, honestly. Can’t you admit that this is rather spectacular?”

He shrugged. “Honestly? It’s overdone, and rather tacky. Especially this toy set, or whatever it is that you think is so amazing.”

“Excuse me, what?” came an unfamiliar voice from behind him. 

“Forgive me, but I just don’t like it. At all. It looks so cheap, and fake. Makes me more repulsed about the notion that is Christmas, if that was even somehow possible.”

“You can’t talk to me like that!” the voice exclaimed. But Merlin wasn’t about to back down for anything, so he spun around and fiercely glared into the bright blue eyes of the outraged man. 

“I can talk in whatever way I please, thank you very much,” he snapped, and the strangers eyes widened before narrowing in fury.

~~~

 

~ARTHUR~

Turning on the lights for the third year running, Arthur couldn’t be prouder. His collection had grown since the first year of participating in the competition, and his Christmas light display had grown to be spectacular. Not to mention that he’d won first place in Albion’s Christmas light competition for the second year running!

As he walked from the house into the brightly lit gardens, he found himself watching children of all ages running around, delighted by the newly bought bubble machine. Couples roamed down the garden path, hand in hand, while a few teenagers took photos and videos on their phone. The most important thing for Arthur was knowing that the hard work and effort that went into the lights was able to fill people with joy, and it pleased him to no end that he was successful.

As he walked toward Uther’s Christmas town set, he thought he recognised some of the people standing around it. It looked like...Gwen, Lance’s girlfriend! But as he approached to find out, he overheard the conversation that Gwen was having with a man, unknown to him. 

“...rather spectacular?” he heard Gwen asked.

“Honestly? It’s overdone, and rather tacky. Especially this toy set, or whatever it is that you think is so amazing.” The man snorted, arms crossed.

Offended, Arthur couldn’t help but interrupt. “Excuse me, what?”

“Forgive me, but I just don’t like it. At all. It looks so cheap, and fake. Makes me more repulsed about the notion that is Christmas, if that was even somehow possible,” the man continued to rant without even turning to look at Arthur!

“You can’t talk to me like that!” he burst out without thinking. 

The man spun around, all attitude and annoyance. “I can talk in whatever way I please, thank you very much,” he retorted, furthering Arthur’s fury. “It’s just my opinion. And who d’you think you are anyway, the Christmas light police?”

Arthur rolled his shoulders back, and said in a low voice, “I’m the owner of this house and it is  _ my _ hard work that you’re insulting.”

In the moment that the other man hesitated was when Gwen jumped in. “Arthur, it’s lovely to see you again!” she cried out, before hissing to her friend, “Merlin, behave!”

“Lovely to see you too. Is Lance around here somewhere?” he asked, desperate to get away from the situation as soon as he could.

“I think he went towards the pond in front of your house,” she replied. “I have to say, this is very impressive! You’ve outdone yourself this year.” 

Next to Gwen, the man - Merlin - rolled his eyes.

Arthur tried to smile but it was more of a grimace. “Thank you,” he said curtly. “I think I’m going to go and find Lance now.”

“Of course,” Gwen smiled, turning away and pulling Merlin with her. 

As Arthur walked away, he couldn’t help but feel put out. There was no denying that Merlin was an attractive man, but it was fairly clear from the off that he didn’t like Christmas - or Arthur.

**Author's Note:**

> any comments or feedback is always appreciated, as are kudos.  
> next chapter shouldn't be far off :)


End file.
